Gas heater



Aug. 25, 1925.

- V. CHWALKOWSKI GAS HEATER Filed Oct. 25. 1922 g Sheets-Sheet 1 1,551,238 7 v. CHWALKOWSKI (ms HEATER Filed Oct. 3, 1922 2 s heets shee t 2 Patented Aug. 25, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

vmonu'r CHWALKOWSKI, or NEWARK, new JERSEY, Assro-no n or ONE-HALF T nounon sunsnmn, or new YonK, n. Y., ANDONE-HALF To TOBIASG. JASPER,

OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

GAS HEATER.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, VINCENT CHWALKOW- sin, a citizen of Poland, residingat Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas Heaters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to gas heaters and more particularly to those of the so-called radiant type. The general object of the invention is to render said heaters more eflicient in the radiation of heat, and with this general object in view, the invention is directed primarily to certain improvements in the burner equipment, as will be best understood froin the detailed description to follow.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a "adiant gas heater equipped with the present improvements, certain portions being broken away to expose the interior construction;

F 2 is a perspective view of one of the burner tips detached;

Fig. is a top plan View thereof broken away on the line 33 of Fig. 4;

Fig. Q is a vertical section taken on the line 4E'l of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

6 is a bottom plan view of the tip, showing its interior construction;

Figs. 7 and 8 are views illustrating some of the steps followed in the manufacture of the tip.

The heater herein illustrated is of the portable type and comprises a casing A which may be of any suitable form or design. Situated within the casing, and open at the front, is a chamber B containing a series of perforated heat radiating elements C (live in all) supported at their lower ends upon the bottom wall B of said chamber and having their upper ends projecting through openings formed in the top wall B thereof. These heat radiating elements are of well known construction and require no further description, itbeing understood that they are adapted to be heated to incandesccnce when. the heater is in use. Above the chamber B is located a second chamber D having openings D at the front for the discharge of heated an: entering the chamher from the incandescent elements G. The

heating of the incandescent elements C is effected by means of a Bunsen burner sup ported in the base of the casing A. In the present instance, the burner comprises a boxlike burner tube E extending throughout the length of the chamber B and containing a mixing chamber E for gas and primary air. At the right the burner tube is provided with the customary primary air inlet E into which the gas is discharged from a nozzle it under the control of a stopcock or valve Eh At its upper side the burnertube is provided with a'series of nipples E carrying detachable burner tips E, one for each of the incandescent elements '0. "lhe burner tips E open directly into the incandescent elements C, projectingupwardly through and closely surrounded by circular openings B formed in the bottom wall B of the chamber B. These burner tips constitute the principal part of the present invention and will now be described in detail. 1

One of the tips (all being identical) is illustrated on an enlarged scale in FigssQ to 6. As shown, the tip is of generally tubular form and comprises a circular base or collar portion 1 (adapted to fit over a nipple E and a crimped upper or head portion 2. At this point, it may be stated that the burner tip is made entirely of sheet metal, which is very desirable for reasons hereinafter mentioned. As will be noted, the crimped portion is made up of a series of radially disposed hollow ribs 3 spaced in close uniform relation around the vertical axis of the tip and having the inner edges of their adjacent side walls united along lines,

as at 4 (Fig. 4:), converging upwardly from the collar portion 1 and meeting substantially in said vertical axis at the top. Each of the ribs 3 is provided with a peripheral hollow branch portion 5 extending in opposite directions therefrom, these branch por tions 5 being preferably arranged in contact with each other at their upper ends and gradually merging at their lower ends with the main portions of the ribs 3. It is pointed out that the form and arrangement of the hollow ribs is such as to form on the interior of the burner tip a cone-like chamher 6 having a small opening 7 at the top, and a series of radial upwardly tapered gas passages 8 having peripheral branch ,portions 9 and terminating at their upper ends in substantially T-shaped slit-like flame ports, the stem portions 10- of which extend out radially from the centralopening 7 and the head portions 11 of which extend circumferentially around said opening. It is also pointed outthat theform and arrangement of the hollow ribs is such as to form on the exterior of the burner tip a series of secondary air passages or channels 12 sloping upwardly and inwardly between the gas passages and terminating in discharge openings 13 substantially surrounded by the slitlike flame ports. The general arrangement of the flame ports and the secondary air openings may be likened to that of a wheel, the flame ports constituting the spokes and rim, and the secondary air openings occupying the sectors defined by the spokes and rim. Attention is especially directed to the fact that, due to the large "number and slitlike nature of its flame ports, the burner tip, though comparatively small, affords a total flame area of considerable magnitude and atthe same time provides for the access of secondary air to every part of the burner flames. In this connection, it may be stated that, in practice, it has been-found desirable not to use the central opening 7 for a flame port (although this might be done), and for this reason, it is proposed to close said opening, as by means of a headed cotter pm 141-.

It is obvious that the particular disposition of the hollow ribs and their flame ports as above described is not absolutely essential, as the ribs might be arranged at an angle to the radius or tangential to an inner circle and still perform their intended functions. Furthermore, the ribs might be made to form L-shaped or Y-shaped'flame ports, or

in fact flame ports of any other desired shape, to equal advantage. The broad feature of the invention in this respect resides in any arrangement of the hollow ribs whereby they will form a series of interior gas passages terminating in slit-like flame ports at the end of the tip, and intermedlate alr; channels termmatmg 1n d1scharge openings adjacent said slit-like flame ports. It

is preferable, although not necessary, that the ribs also be provided with lateral or transverse branch portions (whether located at their extreme outer edges or inward thereof), inasmuch as such branch portions not only provide additional gas passages but also serve to feed thesecondary air in regulated 'quantities to the flame ports.

It will now be seen that, when the heater is in use, the gas mixture will be delivered i *L to all of the b-urnertips E from the common mixing chamber E of the burner tube E,

such mixture entering the cone-like chamber Due to the peculiar form of the burner tips,

each individual flame will be entirely enveloped by jets of secondary air, part of which is drawn upwardly around the outer periphery of each burner tip in the ring-like slit formed between it and the edge of the surrounding opening B and the major part of which is drawn upwardly through the channels 12 and discharged at the openings 13 located within the outer periphery of the tip. The secondary air is thus drawn in at points below the flame ports and discharged directly at said ports for immediate contact with the bases of the burner flames. In this way, the greatest speed of combustion or flame propagation is obtained, resulting in more perfect combustion and producing an intense degree of heat. In practice, it has been found that, due to the intensity of the heat, the heat radiating elements C are brought to a state of substantially uniform incandescence- (a state heretofore diflicult to attain), and this notwithstanding the employment of a Bunsent tube common to all of the tips.

The sheet metal construction of the burner tips also plays an important part in the bringing about of the above results, inasmuch as the thinness of the walls which separate the gas and air passages favors a thor ough con'nningling of the gas and air at the flame ports, thus securing better combustion than would otherwise be possible. Moreover, the liability to overheating of the tips is greatly reduced, thereby avoiding an excessive expansion of the gas such as would curtail the entrainment of primary air. A further advantage is that the gas is afforded a comparatively free and unobstructed passage through the burner tips, due to the smooth interior surface of the walls of the gas passages. In addition, by being of sheet metal, the burner tips may not only be made at low cost but also of highly uniform construction. These and various other advantages will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art. I

In the manufacture of the foregoing burner tip, according to the preferred method, there is first provided a scalloped edge sheet metal blank or disk such as that shown in Fig. 7. This disk is then pressed from its flat condition into the desired crimped tubular form, the outlying portion 15 of the disk being turned upwardly around an inner circular portion 16 (having adiameter corresponding to that of the collar portion 1) and crimped along radial lines into a series of folds 17, producing a formation such as is generally indicated in Fig. 8. These folds 17 are then pressed together and their outer edges bent laterally or transversely to form the crimped portion2 before 5 described, it being noted that by this operation the outer edge of the disk is crowded into an area substantially the same as that of the inner portion 16. At some stage of the method, this inner portion 16 isstamped or out out to leave an opening at the base of the tip as required. A narrow portion of the blank immediately surrounding the inner portion 16 is compacted into cylindrical form in order to produce the collar portion 1, this being conveniently taken care of during the act of bending up the marginal portion of the disk. It seems unnecessary to discuss the method in any greater detail, as the general procedure will be readily understood by 20 any mechanic familiar with sheet metal work. An advantage in making the tip from a sheet metal blank resides in the fact that the linear extent of the flame ports, which are formed by the outer edge of the disk, is much greater than would otherwise be possible. Accordingly, the area of the flame ports and of the secondary air openings may be of any desired magnitude con sistent with the limited space available.

The invention is not of course confined to the precise constructions shown and described, nor to any other particular construction by which the same may be carried into effect, as many changes may be made in the details without departing from the main principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages. It should be understood, therefore, that the invention is mot limited to any specific form or embodiment except in so far as such limitations are set forth in the. appended claims. It should also be understood that while the invention has been illustrated herein as applied to a heater of the radiant type, it is equally applicable to heaters of other types as well.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is as follows:

1. A burner tip composed of sheet metal crimped into a series of spaced-apart hollow ribs forming interior gas passages and exterior air channels, the said ribs having branch portions extending transversely across the air channels to provide air dis charge openings at the end of the tip, and the said ribs and branch portions having their gas passages terminating in slit-like flame ports substantially surrounding said a1r discharge openings.

2. A burner tip composed of sheet metal crimped into a series of radially disposed hollow ribs spaced around the center of said tip and having circumferentially disposed branch portions, the said ribs with their branch portions forming interior gas passages terminating in slit-like flame ports at the end of the tip and exterior air channels terminating in discharge openings substantially surrounded by said slit-like flame ports.

3. A burner ,tip composedof sheet metal crimped into a series of spaced-apart hollow ribs forming interior gas passages andexterior air channels, each of'sai'd ribs having a branch portion extending in opposite clirections therefrom transversely across the air ;channels located at theopposite sides thereof toprovide air discharge openings at the end of thetip, and said ribs andbranch portions having their gas passages terminating in slit-like flame ports substantially surrounding said air discharge openings.

4. A burner tip composed of sheet metal crimped into a series of radial hollow ribs spaced around the center of said tip and each having a circumferential branch portion extending in opposite directions there from, the said ribs forming interior gas passages terminating in slit-like flame ports at the end of the tip and exterior air channels terminating in discharge openings substantially surrounded by said slit-like flame ports.

5. A burner tip made from a sheet metal disk turned upwardly around an inner portion of a given area and having its outlying portion crimped or folded back and forth upon itself to crowd the outer edge of the disk into a substantially identical area, the inner portion of said disk being apertured for the admission of gas at the bottom of said tip, and theoutlying folded or crimped portion presenting a series of spaced-apart hollow ribshaving lateral branch portions, the said ribs forming interior gas passages terminating in slit-like flame ports at the end ofthe tip and exterior air channels terminating in discharge openings substantially surrounded by said slit-like flame ports.

6. A burner tip made from a sheet metal disk turned upwardly around an inner portion of a given area and having its outlying portion crimped or folded back and forth upon itself to crowd the outer edge of the disk into a substantially identical area, the inner portion of said disk being apertured for the admission of gas at the bottom of said tip, and the outlying folded or crimped portion presenting a series of radial hollow ribs spaced around the center of said tip and each having a peripheral branch portion extending in opposite directions therefrom, the said ribs forming interior gas passages terminating inslit-like flame ports at the end of the tip and exterior air channels terminating in discharge openings substantially surrounded by said slit-like flame ports.

7. A burner tip composed. of sheet metal crimped into a series of hollow ribs spaced around the center of the tip and providing interior gas passages and exterior air channels, the said ribs at their outer edges being bent laterally across the air channels, and the said bent portions sloping upwardly and inwardly toward the center of the tip so as to give similar direction to the interior gas passages formed by the branch portions.

,8. A burner tip formed with a centrally located opening and composed of sheet metal crilnped into aseries of spaced apart hollow ribs forming interior gas passages and exterior air channels, the said ribs having branch portions extending transversely across the air channels to provide air discharge openings at the end of the tip, said ribs and branch portions having their gas passages terminating in slit-like flame ports substantially surroundingsaid' air discharge opening, and a closure for said centrally locatedopening.

In testimony whereof, I have 'afiixed my signature hereto.

VINCENT OHWALKOWSKI. 

